Can we just go ahead and put Michael C. Hall's name on the 2011 Emmy right now?

Powerful, emotional episode. Really had me wondering if they weren't going to have this whole season split in two; Dexter setting up a new life, and his cop friends trying to figure out what happened. That might have been interesting, but it was better seeing Dexter finally lose it emotionally after hacking up the redneck.

The only thing I'm not sure about is Quinn investigating Dexter...already had this happen once with Doakes...so hopefully they'll take it in a bit of a different direction (to some extent they did, with Quinn screwing Deb).

I guess I had something different in mind for the start of season 5. I figured Dexter would just go on a rampage right away, but that may be coming in the near future. It was a well done episode, but I found myself getting bored with it. It picked up once he slaughtered that redneck.

I really don't like Quinn and can't wait for Dexter to kill him. I kind of expected him to tell Deb about what he does when he was vulnerable and then she have to battle with keeping it a secret to protect both Dexter and Harrison.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

I am skeptical of this season and not sure what else they can do with this show. The first episode was okay but perhaps its just me and I have grown tired of the show. Gotta wonder if Quinn is gonna be the guy who brings Dexter down in the end. Would have a lot of people pissed to see a crooked cop.. ahem, allegedly.. bring him down.

In any case, I would like to have this season end with a firm resolution and I just foresee Dexter dying some how.

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Hall is one of the 20 best actors living right now IMO, and he was very good in episode 1. But put me in the camp that was a little disappointed with the season premiere and the direction it looks like they're taking season 5.

The redux of the Doakes/Dexter tiff. Which is gonna be even more soap opera-y with Deb banging him. Dexter acting so guilty that I was half expecting him to cruise away with Al Cowlings in a white Bronco. Five straight seasons now of him doing outlandishly suspicious shit and getting away with it all against all odds.

Season 3 was the worst ever. Season 4 was the best ever. Lets hope they keep this show on the right path with season 5.

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Erie Warrior wrote:Great ending last night. I got the willies seeing those eyes peering through the glass. Dex is getting sloppy.

No doubt. Leaving fingerprints all over the place, getting hit by the tranq gun, using newspapers instead of plastic...to say nothing of still having to go to the old visitors center and tear down his planned kill room.

Didn't notice until later that the girl that was locked up is Julia Stiles. Should be a couple of interesting weeks. Dexter can't really let her go, but there is no way his code would ever allow him to kill her. That would just turn the audience totally against him.

Another area where we have similarities to Season 2 with Doakes. But I'm not expecting a batshit crazy ex-girlfriend to "help" him this time by blowing up a cabin. Dex is going to have to figure this one out himself.

Seems to me that this season is specifically designed solely to get Michael C. Hall the Best Actor Emmy. To me, the rest of the cast has gone downhill this year. The Debra storyline of her saddling up to some guy and constantly being vulnerable is just old. The LaGuerta-Batista storyline just doesn't interest me at all.

And Quinn's your typical piece of shit. There's no real complementary character to Dexter like there has been in each of the past seasons. This Lumen angle could be interesting, but it's progressing slowly.

I get that they're using Dexter's lack of attention to detail as the bridge from last season with the death of Rita and how it's affecting Dexter. Quite honestly, the premise of the show is barely even Dexter the Serial Killer anymore. That was it's foundation and, to me, it's falling apart.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

Not particularly thrilled with this season so far. Seems ok, but not great. I agree with the thin story line from the other characters. WTF kinda name is Lumen, I was under the impression that is a measure of light.

While this year has been kinda slow, I thought tonight's might get us going on the right track. I want to see what the Peter Weller character will start reporting back to Quinn as he's sure to start tailing him.

The story line with Lumen could get a bit complex considering you might have Quinn's flunkie reporting back on her comings and goings as well. Meanwhile we get to start finding out what kind of group the Dentist belonged to. Was he tied to the possum king?

Does anyone think that Mr. DDS giving in and calling one of the crew was a bit of a stretch though? Personally I would have felt I was making progress with Dex but....it's not as if he knew that homicide was right around the corner.

His reaction to Lumen in the tub was interesting. I like the added complexity of of the Narc officer following Dex. I think they are starting to gloss over the hunt, the guy Dex was gonna kill was just written in. Didn't have any build up, or emotional attachment.

The last scene with Misuka describing the murder scene was great, as was Dex's "the blood is consistent with Misuka's story".

Is it just me or is Julia Stiles completely killing this season? I've never liked her and thought I'd give her a clean slate with this season of Dexter, but my God, is she annoying! I don't understand how she's gotten to be successful at all. She's not a good actress and has that Renee Zellwegger "face that you just want to punch" thing going on. I feel if anyone else was playing Lumen I'd be enjoying this season a hell of a lot more.

skatingtripods wrote:Last night's episode was the best one of the season by far.

I'd agree. And Julia Styles was pissing me off, but this last episode may have tamed my dislike. There are a lot of stories going on right now, the LaGuerta- nightclub disaster should be interesting as well.

The Quinn/ NARC cop thing is taking an unexpected turn, blackmail was not something I was considering.

skatingtripods wrote:Last night's episode was the best one of the season by far.

I'd agree. And Julia Styles was pissing me off, but this last episode may have tamed my dislike. There are a lot of stories going on right now, the LaGuerta- nightclub disaster should be interesting as well.

The Quinn/ NARC cop thing is taking an unexpected turn, blackmail was not something I was considering.

Well, my post was for the episode before last.

But, Sunday's episode wasn't bad. There's something interesting about Dexter having a partner and it being a she. The Santa Muerta case just seems to be a side note to keep the other characters on the show. It got somewhat interesting now, though. They should find a way to tie in those brothers with the guys who raped Lumen. Like some kind of human trafficking.

Again, never read the books, not sure how the story goes. I doubt they deviate much from the book series.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

This season has really turned around in the last 3 - 4 weeks, with last night's episode being as nerve wracking and disturbing as anything they've had since the heydays of Trinity.

I was in the category of being fed up with Lumen early on, but she has really grown on me...enough so that I'll be upset if they kill her off.

Two episodes to go, and I'm not sure how they'll write themselves out of this.

I know the slimy P.I. played by Peter Weller (Liddy) has to die, and of course Jordan Chase.

Nothing from the missing scum bag brother of the guy Deb shot a few weeks ago in the night club. So I'm wondering if they may have him show back up, and conveniently kill off Quinn before he tells Deb what he's discovered about Dexter.

The woman (Emily) who told Lumen of the initial rape at the camp will be killed off by Jordan.

At this point, my guess is that Lumen lives, is never identified by Deb (no evidence of her), but since Deb knows that there was a 13th victim that escaped, Lumen ends up either going back to Minnesota, or joining her former fiance in the around the world trip, able to step away from the killings once they've dispatched Jordan.

Which leads me to think that the next season of Dexter will be the last...one in which he finds out that he really doesn't have to kill anymore. The conflict will be with Deb, who is starting to understand what Dexter is.

Agree 100%. Excellent recovery to this season. Last couple episodes have been gripping.

Thought I was gonna hate the Lumen storyline all year. It's come around. Her acting has been good. Acting from Hall as the lead, as always, is outstanding.

A lot of people who should/could die ... with just two episodes left. Setting up for a thrilling ending.

Clearly, Liddy and Jordan Chase are both better than even $ to end up on the table. Chase is gonna kill that other blond girl almost for sure. Quinn is just about on to Dexter, so he may have to go as well ... and the development of the story line with him and Deb makes it more likely he's killed. Clearly Lumen could be killed as well, dealing Dexter another emotional blow that could put him on tilt next season.

I do subscribe to the Mitch theory that Deb either finds out about Dexter (been teasing it hard) ... or the heavy speculation is the basis of next season.

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I always find myself wondering what Deb's reaction would be to finding out who Dexter really is. She's such a by-the-book, stand-up, hardcore kind of cop who hates these scumbag criminals. So, what would her reaction be if she found out that her brother was taking these guys out? Would her convictions as a police officer overlook that Dexter's her brother?

I think that may be the storyline you start to see in the future season(s).

I'd hate for Lumen to be killed off. Julia Stiles is a very good actress. Obviously I could see it, but it'd be far too similar to the whole Rita situation. I'm not sure that they'll go that route again.

The secondary characters and storylines have really taken a back seat over the last 3-4 episodes, which, coincidentally, have been the best of the season.

Can't wait for Liddy to be on Dex's table. Wouldn't it be some shit if Deb killed him to protect her brother?

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

What's truly surprised me with the season really picking up is how disturbed I am by it. Not much at all gets under my skin, but whenever they were playing the tapes I felt uneasy about it. Brilliant work by the cast and crew to make those such a powerful part of the season.

I think Lumen has been spot on as a freshly damaged psyche. Hard to relate with at first because of it, but me thinks that's how the part should be for someone who just went through that trauma.

-- Is it just me or could Jordan Chase be encouraging a couple of these kills? Certainly with the ginger guy from ER, what is Jordan up to? Why did he tell that #1 Victim to tell Lumen and Dex the truth? Sometimes I am on the laptop and miss something, so if I missed something obvious here please smack me the head (figuratively speaking)-- Does anyone else wonder if Quinn finds about Dex first and for whatever reason doesn't turn him in but instead destroys his ex-partner. He did threaten to kill the guy didn't he? Perhaps he and Deb find out together and he wants to win her back.

Both sound far-fetched but the season has taken such a turn that I am not ruling out anything at this point.

It laid the foundation very well for next week. I think Dex gets Chase, and Deb sees him, but he claims self defense. Does Lumen get it first? That would seem to tie up loose ends for next season.

Chase kills LumenDex goes looking for Lumen (says she's late on rent as a cover)Dex kills Chase as Deb and Quinn walk in. He claims self defense. The other murders are pinned on Lumen as the vigilante, end season.

And they better go an hour and 15 minutes next week, because they shorted us this week.

Erie Warrior wrote:It laid the foundation very well for next week. I think Dex gets Chase, and Deb sees him, but he claims self defense. Does Lumen get it first? That would seem to tie up loose ends for next season.

Chase kills LumenDex goes looking for Lumen (says she's late on rent as a cover)Dex kills Chase as Deb and Quinn walk in. He claims self defense. The other murders are pinned on Lumen as the vigilante, end season.

And they better go an hour and 15 minutes next week, because they shorted us this week.

Possible...but I don't think Lumen can be pegged by either Deb or Quinn as the 13th victim (and therefore the vigilante), as Quinn still has the pictures in his desk of Lumen and Dexter, which would implicate him.

Then again, there would be no hard proof of that, and the pictures couldn't stand alone...which would give you the entire Sixth Season.

I just don't want to see Lumen get killed...not after killing Rita last year. Been there. Done that.

Answered the one question that was bugging the hell out of me; how did Dexter get that knife that he used to cut his bonds while Jordan was pontificating? Looks like he had it on him already, before the car crash (although he was damn lucky he didn't stab himself in either the crash, or the tumble he took down the steps).

Good analysis too of the "transformation" of Deb. Shocking that she let them go, but it makes perfect sense on how her character is changing.

Very good season. Of course it's not as good as last year or season one, but it is better than season 3, and possibly as good as the second season.

Looks to be an interesting season. Dexter is in a "happy place" right now, getting way too much enjoyment out of his killings.

Glad that LaGuerta and Batista have split. Hated the whole marriage thing between them.

Quinn proposing to Deb? That's not going to be good (for them, or the show).

Very early, and I'm not sure about this season playing out the whole religion theme, but it looks like they'll have a couple of really good villians with Edward James Olmos and the winner of the Tom Hanks DNA Sweepstakes kid.

This show continues to grow more and more tired for me. Just not getting much enjoyment out of it. Need to throw a real wrench in things. I know they have books to follow, but I'd rather see a season where it turned out that Quinn had become a serial killer and Deb would then be conflicted on both sides with killers.

Something to that effect. Something better than introducing a different villain every season.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

skatingtripods wrote:This show continues to grow more and more tired for me. Just not getting much enjoyment out of it. Need to throw a real wrench in things. I know they have books to follow, but I'd rather see a season where it turned out that Quinn had become a serial killer and Deb would then be conflicted on both sides with killers.

Something to that effect. Something better than introducing a different villain every season.

They should just get a really hot chick with really big cans to take her shirt off every episode. That always helps.

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I would have rather them brought back Lumen AND Jimmy Smits' identical twin brother than to have gone through this.

Deb finding out that Dexter is a killer? About the only good thing that might come to next season.

Deb wanting to jump into bed with Dexter? Ick. Not quite as creepy as Boardwalk Empire's incest subplot, but still a really, really bad idea.

Especially since Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter got married, and then divorced in less than two years...which always made me wonder if that meant that they'd kill off Deb to get her off the show.

Sepinwall says that this season of Dexter (through 3 episodes) is fantastic so far.

I've seen about 3-4 episodes of Dexter. It was season 1 on ABC (or whatever) back during the writer's strike. They cleaned it up and aired it. I thought it was excellent but it was clear that I shouldn't be watching it on network TV, so I stopped. The plan was to catch up on DVD, but I never had.

Dexter, more than any other show that I've ever read about seems to have some extremely high highs, and some extremely low lows. I want to watch it, but there's apparently a few very bad seasons.

So my question is this: What seasons should I watch? Can I just watch the good seasons and skip the others? Or is it something that I should suffer through the shitty seasons because you need them to really understand the good ones? How bad are the bad seasons really?

Keep in mind, I'm usually very much a completist when it comes to this sort of thing...but time is time.

You nailed it, the highs are high, the lows are low. Six seasons in, it is a serious time investment to go back. I don't know how you could really skip seasons, even though there were a couple (3,6?) that sucked donkey balls.

A lot of fun tense nights watching Dexter. At its best, very good. The premise behind it is also excellent. But also a lot of WTF moments and episodes.

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motherscratcher wrote:Sepinwall says that this season of Dexter (through 3 episodes) is fantastic so far.

I've seen about 3-4 episodes of Dexter. It was season 1 on ABC (or whatever) back during the writer's strike. They cleaned it up and aired it. I thought it was excellent but it was clear that I shouldn't be watching it on network TV, so I stopped. The plan was to catch up on DVD, but I never had.

Dexter, more than any other show that I've ever read about seems to have some extremely high highs, and some extremely low lows. I want to watch it, but there's apparently a few very bad seasons.

So my question is this: What seasons should I watch? Can I just watch the good seasons and skip the others? Or is it something that I should suffer through the shitty seasons because you need them to really understand the good ones? How bad are the bad seasons really?

Keep in mind, I'm usually very much a completist when it comes to this sort of thing...but time is time.

Just watch the 1st season and see if it grabs you.

Season 4 is probably the 2nd best.

Season 2 was pretty decent, season 5 had some moments.

Season 3 did suck, I agree, and season 6 was very forgettable until the last episode, where something that you had kind of hoped would happen for years now finally happened.

I watched the first episode of Season 7 on YouTube (cleaned up), and it appears that the discussion that I thought would take place in that episode is in the second episode. But I'm not getting Showtime just for this show.

How was the 2nd episode?

EDIT - to answer your question, even the bad seasons are very watchable.